All user reviews of 5/5 for the EBS ValveDrive

Robust hyper pedal operated with a 12AX7 lamp (a svetlana the way!)
True Bypass button to remove or non-8db for active instruments, and another to bypass or mute the signal when disengages the effect.
A switch to go from a "vintage" has a "modern" sound.
Technically speaking, this is a preamp with a 3-band EQ, a master volume and gain knob.
But according to that place in an effects loop or in front, it behaves differently. I'll come back later.
It operates with a 12V power supply provided.

UTILIZATION

Not all need to use complicated, but it takes time to properly identify all the possibilities of this craft.
It therefore takes time to find "his" sound, but of office, the transformation that operates on the sound is a wonder.
I think there was a manual, but I've never opened.

SOUNDS

Then placed on the front, it operates like a good old overdrive pedal lamp, it saturates quickly and you can go pretty extreme sounds, still very hot.
I have a preference for vintage fashion, that sounds, how to say ... vintage, that is to say more velvety. The modern mode is not bad, but provided more acute, so it's pretty typical, especially mediator, and there you can have fun playing Deathcrush Mayhem!
Placed in an effects loop, it was suddenly very little saturation, not in the same way in front in any case: it crisp a little, it warms the signal, and when you have a better than average amp, like my Hartke HA3500, it feels good or it goes by! In modern fashion, can be be a bit more saturated, but that the goal is no longer to have the distortion.
The pedal is pretty rich bass, but the EQ is quite effective.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 years and I'm still crazy! I play less bass, but I "forced" my bass player has to use the pedal (in quotes because it has adopted too). I could compare with EBS Multidrive, which for once is not a preamp. She is very good also, but with Valve Drive, we are one, or two, or even 10 clicks above. If you just want a good distortion and we already have an all-tube bass amp with exceptional grain, multidrive may be sufficient, but will ValveDrive forcemment dessu. And when you have a hybrid amp or transistor average, this pedal change all perspectives. She warms her, offers a whole bunch of different colors. It may seem expensive, but it is a great investment!

Preamp / overdrive lamp (one 12AX7)
input and output connections in jack 6.35
gain settings, 3-band EQ (bass, mid, treeble), volume
2 switches activated at one foot to activate / bypass the preamp and the other to spend modern fashion vintage fashion

UTILIZATION

simple configuration, it adjusts its gain and volume to get the desired level of distortion and tinkered with the EQ to find his sound, small feature, the EQ is passive, it can not but add that removing.
The manual (in English) is very clear examples of settings are provided that allow for a starting point to find the desired sound.

SOUNDS

It is perfect for my style of music (metal), I use it mostly with my Cort Artisan (active 5cordes) for my cruncher slightly warm sound and the sound of my Markbass combo, or to have a big, aggressive distortion (Mode vintage) on more sustained passages.
The two modes are quite different preamp saturation level and the sound will change depending on the mode, without affecting other settings, vintage fashion fuller and saturate faster than the modern mode (which it is more metallic) .
Also be aware that the change in the attack distortion (more on attack over it saturates).
I have not tested the sound too light (at the same time it was not the purpose of this purchase), but I noticed that my sound swells that finds all skinny when I turn off the machine.

OVERALL OPINION

I use since December, I tested other models of distortion / overdrive (bassblogger, ODB3) before making my choice, but none came out the type of distortion that I was looking for until I fall on the corner of a shop.
I love the sound of this pedal, I could not do without it, it's really what I wanted.
It is a certainty that I remake that choice malgrès a high price (but good quality comes at a price)

Gain, Volume, Bass, Mid, Trebble
Svetlana lamp 12XA7
A switch to activate the pedal
A switch to switch from modern to vintage fashion
Button to remove an 8 dB gain.
Button to set the mute pedal thru or bypass.

Bass knobs, Medium, Trebble are passive

What simplicity!

UTILIZATION

Bass knobs, Medium, Trebble are passive! Therefore act on one affects the other. To get a flat EQ must put the bass and treble to zero and mediums according to the manual thoroughly EBS.

EBS provided some very useful basic settings.

We always get a good sound, but if you try to create a specific sound exactly it takes a little research with the knobs liabilities (as a widened his example). That said if you're a fan of big bass and treble cut absolutely all it will be easy for you.

The switch modern / vintage switch can be used to clean the saturated according to its settings.

SOUNDS

The pedal can sound cleans with a warm roundness based on more than treble.
For it is here that saturation really play the modern and vintage modes.

Modern mode saturates slower than the vintage fashion. The grain is more acute and the saturation is more focused on the low mids. It sounds more in the style of transistor overdrive pedals (similar to Tech 21 Sans Amp Bass Driver DI but more faithful to the sound of the bass and warmer)

The vintage fashion saturates relatively quickly and provides a saturation finer, smoother, more in the spirit of old tube amps (very different from modern grain mode). This mode is more enhanced by the passive equalization. For example you can have a very light and subtle saturation react fine nuances of your playing strength (eg play softly and to saturate the sound attacks stronger, crunchy sound anything).
The vintage fashion offers a single grain of saturation no other pedal does and certainly not a transistor pedal!

This pedal meets well the dynamics of the instrument.

More when we get very, very strong pedal in the fully saturated lamp gives a pretty impressive effect sustainer.
(In fact it may be a combo between the pedal and my tube amp, I do not really know but it's not impossible).

A small example of use:
With this pedal I sound ideal for playing in a group of deathmetal. My sound brings heaviness and power, enhances guitars without cover since I dig the sound to let my mids and treble guitars accentuate the distortion very aggressive guitars. it allows the final mix to have a very strong and consistent with each instrument finds its place.
(In fact my settings focus the distortion of the spectrum up and leave the bass with a more clean, avoiding large BBBRRRZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ I do not like)

After I also use this pedal for softer things anyway.

OVERALL OPINION

I bought it in 2009 and sold in 2010 when I bought my head Ampeg SVT Classic, the final in 2012 I bought to regain its saturation so special.
Before I had the BOSS ODB3 (it looks like a horror cyber hive bees the future), I got the Tech 21 Sans Amp Bass Driver DI (good pedal but lacks settings, and severe lack of fidelity, So I sold). I also had the MXR Bass DI + (a synthetic settings not subtle at all).

What I love most is really the sound of the vintage channel, this is the only overdrive pedal that gives saturations very natural, very hot. No other pedal I've tried or seen on youtube tested German major retailers or manufacturers themselves, has this beautiful vintage saturation.

There are amps that compete, either old or new amps tube amps Fender guy 100T.


Is this-that I would do this choice? Well I've redo

Preamli a lamp
there is a lamp 12 AX7
input and output jack
correction gain, treble, mid low, volume, preamp to come across Monne brand)
Direct injection box

UTILIZATION

The config is very sound simplele vious get when you plug it is good enough and I say enough to not let you down on your new acquisitions especially when c is hot and if you do you regalge coherent and probably the people who play and the habit of playing on amps lights will not differnce

SOUNDS

The valve drive is that if you look like a lamp having a very warm and soft but crunchy auusii style can be heard in Monreal is Pastorius 80 '
I used to play the jaz and sound is round but I do not deny to lma expoloser box when I Jiou funk or fusion c the effect is very versatile.
li I tried with my violin and bass with a fender jazz bass

OVERALL OPINION

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